3 Games Under $30: Xbox One Indie Edition

The Xbox One has been on a roll lately, winning NPD Hardware sales three months in a row and seeing two of its biggest exclusive games recently released in Forza Horizon 3 and Gears of War 4. Yet, there are great titles to be found on the system both big and small, and at a great price. Here are three indie games available on the system for under $30.

Shooting is perhaps THE core mechanic in games today. Almost every game utilizes it in some fashion. With something so prevalent, it is cool (or should I say hot) to see a developer do something different with it. Superhot Team has done just that with Superhot, which mixes strategy with shooting in a stylish way. The concept of time only moving forward when the player moves is a novel one.

The minimalist art style of Superhot works alongside the strategic time manipulation, blending into a package that was met with positive reviews when the game was released earlier this year. Superhot is sitting at an 83 on metacritic and can be purchased for $24.99 via the Xbox Store.

Playdead takes its sweet time in making games, but when the project is finished, it is certainly memorable. The developer first came onto most gamer’s radar with its breakout title Limbo. Not only was it met with critical acclaim, it was one of the first titles to cement the role indies play in the current gaming landscape.

With the follow-up game sitting at a 92 on metacritic and being hailed as one of the best games of the year, I would say the long wait between projects was worth it. Similar to Limbo, Inside is a puzzle platformer starring a young boy navigating a surreal environment. Inside serves as another example of how a game’s length does not necessarily determine its quality. Just because something lasts 20-30 hrs doesn’t mean a game that is much shorter can’t be just as good, if not better. Inside for $19.99 is a steal.

The Tony Hawk franchise fell off its deck and EA continues to keep Skate in the closet, so thankfully developer Roll7 has stepped up to the plate and delivered the best skateboarding experience currently available. OlliOlli 2 tasks players with building up combo strings, while avoiding obstacles in colorful landscapes. Each level is relatively short, but filled with objects to keep your momentum going to build your combo score or to wipe out and send your deck flying if not timed right. Originally released on the PS4, the XL version of OlliOlli 2 has everything that made the original a blast to play, along with a new Free Roam Skate mode to practice the multitude of tricks available in the game.

Not only does OlliOlli 2 feature great, satisfying combo-based gameplay, it has a killer soundtrack as well. So when you are able to nail the perfect trick and stick the landing to rack up big combo points, the music enhances the feeling of exhilaration. With a metacritic score of 83, it can purchased right now for $14.99.

Darius Purse is a Senior Writer at MONG and if you want to talk Games, TV, or MMA feel free to follow him onTwitter.